Per Lyman, all three start velocities and pressures are almost identical. Bullseye and Unique top out almost the same velocity and pressure, but TG is almost 50fps slower and 600CUP less.

Q

Quoheleth

April 3, 2010, 04:10 PM

Update...

Using Lees adjustable charge bar, I am having a tough time getting consistant charges as low as 2.5gr Bullseye.

Options I see might include...
- buying the micro disc (don't really want to do that if I can help it)
- weighing each charge (ditto...slowsville)
- scoops (only slightly quicker than the scale, and when dealing with such small charges a couple of granules makes a big difference. Little "wiggle room" that the scoops sometimes need)

Any other ideas?

Q

rcmodel

April 3, 2010, 04:15 PM

My Lyman manual gives data for a 90gr LRN,That is a 95 grain bullet when you add the bullet lube.

Per Lyman, all three start velocities and pressures are almost identical. Bullseye and Unique top out almost the same velocity and pressure, but TG is almost 50fps slower and 600CUP less.

Q
Quoheleth,
Did you try the 9ogr LRN with Hodgdon Titegroup? If so, how many grains, how was the accuracy, and did you experience any problems?
Thanks for the info. Hope you had fun at the range.
thom

Randy1911

April 3, 2010, 10:55 PM

With a 90 gr. LRN I have always had good results with 3.0 grs. of W231.

LightningMan

April 3, 2010, 11:32 PM

I've been using the data for 100gr RNL bullets for my 95gr'ers. I have been using AA#5 with 4.5 grs. gives me about 760-780 fps. out of my Kel-Tec P3AT. LM

depoloni

April 3, 2010, 11:38 PM

I use a 3.0 grain charge of Win-231 (HP-38) and have had consistent, foolproof results in both an LCP and a Beretta.

Max charge is more like 3.4-3.5 generally with cast bullets of this weight in 380ACP with W-231, but 3.0 has always cycled and given a pleasant (on the hands and gun) load for both my handcast 95RN bullets, Hunters Supply 95 RNFP cast, and Rainier 95 RN.

Hope this helps.

BAE984

April 4, 2010, 12:08 AM

I've loaded ~150 of them so far. I'm at the upper end of the titegroup range (2.7gr), but seems to function like factory and pretty accurate. I'm using the lee micro-disk to throw charges. It's kinda smokey with the titegroup, though. It's ok for outside, but might be rough indoors.

Roccobro

April 4, 2010, 02:25 AM

W231 has been good for me. Trying Red Dot next. I have loaded W231 as low as 2.0gr and it still cycled the action of LCP's I've tried them in. 3.8gr is my WWB duplicate load.

These bullets are more accurate in an LCP than a gun with no sights should be!

Justin

Quoheleth

April 4, 2010, 03:08 PM

Had trouble getting Titegroup to drop those small charges, too. In fact, the smallest I could get it to drop was 2.8gr of TG. I misread my notes and I charged 10 rounds .1gr over max. Idiot. :banghead:

Bullseye and Titegroup aren't dropping well for me with those small charges. For grins I'm going to try the Unique.

Very disappointed & frustrated right now...

Q

Quoheleth

April 4, 2010, 08:24 PM

I tried loading Unique this afternoon. I guess there's less static in Unique, and it's a bit bulkier than Bullseye or Titegroup, so it took a slightly larger volume to get the charge. Anyway, Unique dropped very well @ 3.2gr. I'm hoping to get to the range tomorrow and shoot them and see how they go.

Q

ssyoumans

April 12, 2010, 04:31 PM

Good info Quohelth. I currently load 2.6gr BE using an RCBS powder measure but was getting ready to start using the auto disk since I purchased a Lee Turret press. I guess my best options are to go up to 2.8gr of Bullseye or purchase the micro disk and load 2.5gr of Bullseye? Sounds like the adjustable charge bar doesn't work well in this range. Both loads function out of my Sig P238.

For those using ww231, does the adjustable charge bar throw a consistent 3.0gr? The smallest autodisk that comes with the kit says it only goes down to 3.2gr. Would like to know before buying another powder.

Marlin 45 carbine

April 12, 2010, 06:42 PM

I had good results with BEye and better with RDot loading the same weight cast slug out of my BDA. I use dippers and Lee expander dies with powder thru.

Publius1688

April 12, 2010, 08:43 PM

Post a follow up, please, Q----I'm interested to see how the Unique went at 3.2 grains. I've got a boat load of Unique, and need to mix up some .380s for my father in law to shoot.

tom357mag

April 12, 2010, 08:45 PM

I also use Unique with 3.2 grns and the MB 95grn RN with excellent results from an LCP.

Quoheleth

April 12, 2010, 10:22 PM

I finally got to the range last Friday and fired about 40 - 50 rounds of this load with Unique. The load shoots nicely --- it's not nearly as aggressive as the WWB, though, recoil wise. It recoils softly and groups well. For me, it was shooting about 4" low, but that could very well be trigger control/recoil anticipation.

I see these as a nice plinking round, but it does not duplicate factory ammo in velocity (as far as I can tell....no chrono) or recoil.

I had two light primer strikes in my reloads. Now, I had that problem with some 9mms I loaded at the same time. I wonder if I had a couple of bad primers - I had left them in my priming tool over the weekend.

I also had one premature slide lock but now I cannot recall if that was a factory round or my reload. Have to keep an eye on that in the future.

Bottom line: the Unique and the .380 Missouri Bullet is a nice combo. You have to watch each case, though, and visually make sure each case is equally charged before seating the bullet. I had to dump several because the charge did not fully drop, but even watching carefully I had two that were lighter charges - they fired and cleared the barrel, but were noticibly lighter in recoil/sound. Not a problem with a turret press but might be an issue with a progressive.

Q

Joemyxplyx

April 13, 2010, 12:15 AM

Loaded 20 rounds with 3.2gr of RamShot ZIP. Shot them Tuesday. Same point of impact as factory FMJ's but lesser kick. All rounds fed and ejected just fine except for one stovepipe which was the last round in the clip.

I think I'll load a couple of boxes of 3.2gr for plinking and try 20 at 3.4gr to see how they work.

zxcvbob

April 13, 2010, 12:24 AM

I load Mastercastbullets.com 95 grain RN bullets with either 3.1 grains of International Clays or 4.2 grains of Unique, both with an OAL of .980". (I thought the International load was 3.0 grains and may have mentioned that before, but I just checked my notes and it's 3.1.)

I'm not sure if it's the same bullet as MO's, but it should be close. These are both almost maximum standard pressure loads, and the Unique load is a real firecracker from my P3AT.

Tilos

April 13, 2010, 12:32 AM

Do you pinch your fingers loading 380:p

Just askin'
Tilos

Seedtick

April 13, 2010, 01:35 AM

Do you pinch your fingers loading 380:p

I don't pinch my fingers all that often but I sure have a hard time holding on to those little buggers. Last week I finished up some .357's and switch over to .380 and they really seemed short then.